U.S. patent application number 11/000746 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-08 for fastener assembly, barrier, and method for assembling of a fastener assembly.
Invention is credited to Gaudron, Paul, Powers, Jeffrey.
Application Number | 20050193546 11/000746 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34911789 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050193546 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gaudron, Paul ; et
al. |
September 8, 2005 |
Fastener assembly, barrier, and method for assembling of a fastener
assembly
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a fastener assembly which includes a
fastener, a barrier engaged with the fastener via an aperture, the
aperture being configured and dimensioned to create an interference
fit with the fastener and a washer having an opening therein, the
opening receiving the barrier. Further disclosed herein is a
barrier for a fastener and washer where the barrier is described as
a barrier comprising a body having one or more outside dimensions
calculated to engage an opening in a washer in an interference fit
sufficient to retain the washer on the body in an assembly. The
body further includes an opening extending at least substantially
through the body, the opening in the body having a dimension and
configuration to create an interference fit with a fastener.
Inventors: |
Gaudron, Paul; (Stamford,
CT) ; Powers, Jeffrey; (Larchmont, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN, LLP
55 GRIFFIN ROAD SOUTH
BLOOMFIELD
CT
06002
|
Family ID: |
34911789 |
Appl. No.: |
11/000746 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11000746 |
Dec 1, 2004 |
|
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|
10792182 |
Mar 2, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/525 ;
29/525.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 43/00 20130101;
Y10T 29/49947 20150115; F16B 15/00 20130101; Y10T 29/49945
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/525 ;
029/525.01 |
International
Class: |
F16B 039/30; B23P
019/02 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1-14. (canceled)
15. A method for assembling a washer/fastener assembly comprising:
placing a barrier in contract with a washer; installing the barrier
in an opening in the washer; and urging a fastener into the
barrier.
16. A method for assembling a washer/fastener assembly as claimed
in claim 15 wherein said installing the barrier in the opening in
the washer utilizes an interference fit.
17. A method for assembling a washer/fastener assembly as claimed
in claim 15 wherein said urging is against an interference fit
contact.
18. A method for dispensing a powder driven fastener while
protecting a surface coating of a washer and the fastener during
the driving of the fastener through the washer comprising:
installing in a washer having an opening and a coating thereon, a
barrier configured, dimensioned and positioned to protect the
washer from scraping by a fastener driven therethrough; installing
a fastener in the barrier such that the fastener is engaged in
interference fit with the barrier; and driving the fastener through
the barrier and washer while maintaining the fastener and washer
out of contact with each other.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] In the fastening arts there are an uncountable number of
methods and assemblies for fastening one thing to another thing.
Each of these has its own advantages and many have disadvantages.
One fastening configuration and assembly employs a fastener and a
washer where the fastener is an axially driven fastener such as a
nail or pin.
[0002] In some iterations of the fastener and washer combination it
is desirable to create a preassembly of the washer and fastener so
that the assembly may be applied to a workpiece as an assembly. In
these iterations it is known to size an opening in the washer
relative to the shank diameter of the fastener such that an
interference fit is established between the washer and the
fastener. This arrangement has been effective for some time to hold
the washer on the fastener and thereby enable handling, loading and
dispensing of the fastener/washer assembly. While this assembly is
still employed and is effective for its intended purpose, recent
developments in fastening applications have required greater
corrosion resistance in the fasteners and the washers. Coatings for
anticorrosive effect have been added to fasteners and washers to
meet challenges of the greater required corrosion resistance. While
such coatings are effective if intact, it has been determined that
interference fit assemblies, when driven, tend to scrape off the
coating and leave the assembly susceptible to corrosion.
SUMMARY
[0003] Disclosed herein is a fastener assembly which includes a
fastener, a barrier engaged with the fastener via an aperture, the
aperture being configured and dimensioned to create an interference
fit with the fastener and a washer having an opening therein, the
opening receiving the barrier.
[0004] Further disclosed herein is a barrier for a fastener and
washer where the barrier is described as a barrier comprising a
body having one or more outside dimensions calculated to engage an
opening in a washer in an interference fit sufficient to retain the
washer on the body in an assembly. The body further includes an
opening extending at least substantially through the body, the
opening in the body having a dimension and configuration to create
an interference fit with a fastener.
[0005] Further disclosed herein is a method for assembling a
washer/fastener assembly comprising placing a barrier in contact
with a washer, installing the barrier in an opening in the washer
and urging a fastener into the barrier.
[0006] Another method disclosed herein is a method for dispensing a
powder driven fastener while protecting a surface coating of a
washer and the fastener during the driving of the fastener through
the washer. The method includes installing in a washer having an
opening and a coating thereon, a barrier configured, dimensioned
and positioned to protect the washer from scraping by a fastener
driven therethrough, installing a fastener in the barrier such that
the fastener is engaged in interference fit with the barrier, and
driving the fastener through the barrier and washer while
maintaining the fastener and washer out of contact with each
other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are
numbered alike in the several Figures:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the
fastener/washer assembly;
[0009] FIG. 2A is a bottom plan view of a barrier/retainer;
[0010] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the barrier/retainer of
FIG. 2A taken along section line 2B-2B;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a fastener;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment of a washer;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a washer;
and
[0014] FIG. 6 is an alternate assembly partial cross-sectional
view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, an assembly 10 is illustrated
comprising washer 12, barrier 14, fastener 16 and detent flute 18.
As one of ordinary skill in the art should understand this assembly
is illustrated in a condition in which it may be loaded into a
fastener driver system such as a powder driven fastener system. In
this condition the barrier 14 may be maintained within an opening
20 in washer 12 by friction due to an interference fit or by at
least one detent 22. Further, in one embodiment, barrier 14
includes a flange 24 extending radially outwardly from a body 26 of
barrier 14. The flange ensures that the head 28 of fastener 16 does
not impact a top surface of the washer 12 sufficiently to remove
the anti-corrosive material thereby creating a barrier in that
location as well. In the event that a detent 22 is utilized to
retain barrier 14 within the opening 20 of washer 12, the flange 24
will provide a counter balancing holding effect. The fastener 16
includes a fastener head 28 and a fastener shank 30 which extends
in the assembled form through an aperture 32 in barrier 14 that
opening being configured, positioned and dimensioned to hold
fastener shank 30 in a interference fit arrangement such that the
fastener shank 30 is maintained in a selected position in the
assembly with sufficient force to allow handling and loading of the
assembly 10 as required. The cross-sectional geometrical
configuration of the aperture 32 may be identical to the shank 30
of fastener 16 and may be in any geometric shape. Aperture 32 may
also be in a geometric shape different from that of shank 30
providing that the retention of fastener 16 as above stated is
maintained.
[0016] It is further noted that the cross-sectional geometric
configuration on the outside surface of barrier 14 may be of any
geometric shape and may match or mismatch with the geometric shape
of the opening 20 in washer 12. In the event that the particular
embodiment includes a barrier 14 which is held within washer
opening 20 by interference fit, the geometric shapes and sizes
should be selected to provide such an interference fit.
[0017] Barrier 14 has two purposes within assembly 10. One purpose
has already been introduced and that is that it is intended to
maintain fastener shank 30 as an assembled form within washer 12.
The second function of barrier 14 is to prevent frictional action
between shank 30 and washer 12 during driving of fastener 16 that
would otherwise scrape off an anti-corrosive coating. Barrier 14
prevents direct interaction between shank 30 and the opening 20 of
washer 12 whereby the corrosion resistant coating on each of these
components is not scraped from the component during the driving
action on the fastener and therefore the components are not made
susceptible to the corrosive environment in which they are to be
employed. Barrier 14 may be constructed of any material having
property sufficient to retain the fastener yet prevent scraping off
of the anti-corrosive coating from the fastener or washer. In one
embodiment the barrier is plastic which may be a unitary piece of
plastic. Further, the barrier material may be a lubricious
material.
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B one embodiment of barrier 14 is
illustrated on its own. It will be apparent to one of ordinary
skill in the art at least from FIG. 2A that this particular
embodiment of barrier 14 employs a cylindrical cross-sectional
geometric configuration on both its outside dimension and its
inside dimension. As was stated earlier, the outside dimension or
the inside dimension may be different from cylindrical in shape and
in addition the inside geometric shape and the outside geometric
shape need not be the same providing that the goals of the barrier
device are served i.e., with retention of the fastener within the
washer and non-contact of the fastener with the washer. The
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A includes at least one detent 22
which is illustrated as a continuous ridge in this drawing but of
course may be a broken ridge thereby defining multiple detents, if
desired. The internal dimension of aperture 32 will as noted above
be sized appropriately to provide an interference fit with shaft 30
of fastener 16 inserted therein. As is best seen in FIG. 2B, this
embodiment of barrier 14 includes a chamfer 34 which is intended to
aid insertion of the barrier 14 into washer 12. In a location
opposed to chamfer 34 is a detent edge 36 which will in effect be
at least parallel to if not a backward angle to a surface of washer
12 thereby retaining barrier 14 within washer 12 once it has been
inserted therein. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate
that the barrier 14 illustrated in FIG. 2B has a body length 38
which will be substantially equivalent to the thickness of the
washer intended therefore. It will also be appreciated by one of
ordinary skill in the art that a washer having a thickness less
than length 38 could be employed with the barrier 14 however it may
then be that barrier 14 is slightly obstructive to proper seating
of washer 12 against a workpiece.
[0019] FIGS. 4 and 5 are provided to illustrate differing washers
that may be employed. It will be understood by one of ordinary
skill in the art that although circular and chamfered corner square
washers are illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 any geometric shape of
washer may be employed with the assembly as described herein.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 6, an alternate embodiment assembly is
illustrated in assembled form having washer 12, barrier 14,
fastener 16 and a collar 40 in place of the detent flute 18.
[0021] While preferred embodiments have been shown and described,
modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly,
it is to be understood that the present invention has been
described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
* * * * *